ANZAC Day: Lest we forget

"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.

Lest we forget."

— From the Anzac Day Service

The landing at Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey on the dawn of April 25, 1915 by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) started the ANZAC legend. While the combined force managed to "dig in" (hence the term, "Diggers") in the kilometer long trenches and hold out till December 20, 1915, "Australians make heroes of noble failures" such as this failed campaign.

Out of around 20,000 soldiers who initially landed that fateful April 25, and scores more who landed after them; a total of 8,141 gallantly lost their lives; while another 18,000 were wounded and maimed in that campaign. With no civil wars or any war of independence to speak of, this was the start of Australian nationhood.

Today, April 25 "... is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war." As well as it "became a day on which the lives of all Australians lost in war time were remembered."

"Lest we forget!"